Prime Minister Anutin delivered a message on Municipality Day, praising it as a crucial foundation of democratic governance and as an organization that innovates local administration to sustainably improve citizens' quality of life.
On 24 April 2026, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, delivered a message on Municipality Day, 24 April 2026. He emphasized that throughout history, "municipalities" have been a vital foundation of democratic governance and are agencies closely connected with the people. Their mission is not only to provide public services to meet basic needs but also to create innovations in local administration to enhance quality of life, develop society and the environment, and drive a strong, sustainable grassroots economy amid current global changes.
"I would like to thank and encourage personnel at all levels who adhere to good governance principles, perform their duties with honesty, integrity, and selflessness for the common good. I urge everyone to unite and continue working to develop localities to progress and foster trust and faith among the people," he said.
Municipality Day falls annually on 24 April. The origin of municipalities dates back to the reign of King Chulalongkorn, who reformed Thailand’s administration to be modern and on par with other civilized nations. He introduced local governance for the first time in Thailand in the form of sanitary districts, beginning with Tha Chalom Sanitary District in Samut Sakhon Province on 18 December 1898. This system expanded nationwide. Later, the Act on the Administration of the Kingdom (1933) was enacted, followed by the Municipality Act of 1933, proclaimed on 24 April 1933, which upgraded many sanitary districts to municipalities. The Municipality Act of 1953 then established municipalities as local administrative organizations of Thailand.
The Ministry of Interior issued a proclamation dated 4 July 1989 declaring 24 April of every year as "Municipality Day" to commemorate the establishment of municipalities and to remind municipal staff of the importance of their role as public service providers, guided by good governance principles and service for the people.
